Students
at UW-La Crosse must now comply with alternate side parking rules. Prior to
this year, an ordinance existed that permitted parking on both sides of the
road around the UW-La Crosse campus. For students without a parking permit at
UW-L, it can be frustrating to have to move their vehicles each day in order to
follow alternate side parking guidelines.
“Alternate
side parking is good for the city,” explained Kaley Bernhardt, a senior at
UW-L. “It makes sense for plowing, but it’s kind of a pain to have to move a
car every single day, especially if it’s cold outside and you’re parked far
away from your house.”
A
parking ticket for a vehicle on the wrong side of the street starts at $10 for
the first ten days of holding the ticket. After the ten days, the fine
increases to $20, then $30 if the ticket is still not paid.
“It’s
kind of stupid that you have to park on alternate sides when it doesn’t snow,”
noted Alex Reina, a freshman at UW-L. “They should send out an email when
you’re supposed to move your car. That would be a lot more convenient than
having to move it every day.”
Emails
were sent out when the UW-L campus exemption was in effect, as well as web announcements and tweets; however, cars were
still being left where plows needed to get through. Thus, the exemption ended.
Alternate
side parking in La Crosse affects the entire city from November 1 to April 1
annually. Between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., cars must be parked on the even side of
the road on even days of the month, and the odd side on odd days. If only one
side of the road is consistently open for parking, vehicles can be parked there
overnight.
